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Weeks of 12/11/2015

    This week we participated in the Hour of Code.  It is a worldwide event Dec. 7-13, where students are introduced to computer programming.  You can visit hourofcode.com for more information.   In science we started our study of energy, potential and kinetic energy,  with an experiment using balloon rockets    In social studies we started the region of the United States.  We started a project in Technology class with Google drawing and social studies.  In writing we continued a fictional writing piece.    In reading, we worked on identifying informational text features and open response questions.  In math we continued multiplication with an emphasis on how to multiply 2-digit numbers.  

SEE PICTURES BELOW OF SCIENCE AND HOUR OF CODE

MATH TIP OF THE WEEK:  Talk about people who use math in their jobs, including builders, architects, engineers, computer professionals, and scientists.

                Please visit our class website at wsps.org

or

https://sites.google.com/a/wsps.org/mr-canata/home

Balloon Race

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Champions of Balloon race

Hour of Code

  

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Weeks of 12/4/2015

     We visited the MRF in Springfield this week.   In addition Michael Recycle visited the class to discuss recycling and our trip to the recycling plant.  We observed how the plant sorts the materials to be recycled into new items.  In social studies we completed our study of Mexico and Canada.   In science and technology we continued our research on natural disasters.  In writing we started a fictional writing piece.    In reading, we continued historical fiction stories as well as informational articles in Scholastic.  In math we worked on estimation, rounding and multiplying 2-digit numbers.   Your child should study math facts each night.   

Your child should read for at least 20 minutes nightly, complete the Reading log and parent/guardian should sign the reading log.

MATH Tip of the Week: Make a point to praise your child’s efforts in math.  Don’t focus on mistakes. Offer praise every time your child finishes an assignment and every time he or she figures out a difficult problem.

                Please visit our class website at wsps.org

or

https://sites.google.com/a/wsps.org/mr-canata/home

Important Dates:

12/3/2015  Marks closed for Trimester 1

12/17 Early release:  Dismissal at 1:15 pm

12/17 Winter Festival:  Coburn School at 5:30 -7:30 pm

12/23 Half Day:   Dismissal at 11:00 am

Room 27 News

LEARN LIKE A CHAMPION TODAY

Weeks of 11/20

     In social studies we started our study of Canada.   In science and technology we continued our research on natural disasters.  We created Google slides for our research and we will make a video to share what we learned.  In writing we completed a Grade 4 writing prompt.    In reading, we selected I Survived books for independent reading.  These historical fiction books can be used for reading homework.   Also we started to use a Thinkmark, which is a bookmark to write our thinking down as we read. In math we started to multiply multi-digit numbers by one digit number.   Your child should be studying math facts each night.   

Your child should read for at least 20 minutes nightly and sign the reading log.

MATH Tip of the Week: Schedule a time and provide a quiet environment for

your child to work only on math homework.  Also, make a point to praise your child’s efforts in math. Don’t focus on mistakes. Offer praise every time your child finishes an assignment and every time he or she figures out a difficult problem.

                Please visit our class website at wsps.org

or

https://sites.google.com/a/wsps.org/mr-canata/home

Important Dates:

11/24: School Pictures

11/25: Early Dismissal for Thanksgiving Break (11:00)

11/26-27: No School: Thanksgiving Break

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Weeks of 11/13

     In social studies we completed our research of Mexico.  In addition we made a physical map of Mexico using clay.  One of our students, Carly, came in with the recipe for us to make the clay.  Pictures can be seen below.  In science and technology we continued our research on natural disasters.  We created Google slides for our research and we will make a video to share what we learned.  In writing we revised our writing for strong verbs, adjectives, Inner story (thoughts/feelings within a story) and setting.    In reading, we read about Veteran’s Day, and character traits of a character.    In math we completed the October Math Assessment.   Your child should be studying math facts each night.   

Your child should read for at least 20 minutes nightly and sign the reading log.

READING Tip of the Week:

Keep plenty of reading materials in your home:  books, magazines, newspapers and comic books. Children enjoy reading a variety of materials!!! ”

                Please visit our class website at wsps.org

or

https://sites.google.com/a/wsps.org/mr-canata/home

Important Dates:

11/19: Early Dismissal for Night Conferences (5:30-7:30)

11/24: School Pictures

11/25: Early Dismissal for Thanksgiving Break (11:00)

11/26-27: No School: Thanksgiving Break

Egyptian Animal Presentation

Dia de los Muertos

Day of the Dead

Practicing our fluency reading poems trying to get chairs to turn  like The Voice

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Weeks of 10/30 & 11/6

     We had Egyptian Animals presentation by Wildlife Encounters this week.  The entire school was educated on ancient Egypt and entertained by the animals of the area.  Everyone was excited to see the python, monitor lizard, cat, Egyptian weasel and tiny hedgehog.   In science and technology we started research on natural disasters.  We created Google slides for our research and we will make a video to share what we learned.  In writing we started a new writing piece with the use of sentence starters to push our thinking to add details to our stories.     In reading, we started a new Reading Log and book.  Every student has a book to read for at home.  The reading log will be completed each night.  Please sign the log.    In math we worked on using arrays multiplying 10 and 100 and breaking number apart to multiply.  Your child should be studying math facts each night.   

Your child should read for at least 20 minutes nightly and sign the reading log.

MATH Tip of the Week:

Ask your child to explain what was learned in math class today. Letting students take the teacher role gives them the chance to practice new skills and to clarify their thinking on a lesson. Do not take “I don’t know for an answer!”

                Please visit our class website at wsps.org

or

https://sites.google.com/a/wsps.org/mr-canata/home

Important Dates:

11/11: Veteran’s Day - no school

11/19: Early Dismissal for Night Conferences (5:30-7:30)

11/24: School Pictures

11/25: Early Dismissal for Thanksgiving Break (11:00)

11/26-27: No School: Thanksgiving Break

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Week of 10/23

     Ask your child to share his/her Animoto video with you about landforms and All about me.  In writing we revised and completed two pieces, one on our field trip to Skinner State Park and the other on an exciting moment.   In word study we worked on homophones, words that sound alike but are spelled differently.  In poetry, we determined the structure and mood of a poem.  Moreover to work on our fluency in a fun way, we competed like the show the Voice using a microphone, reciting the poem.  Many of us we able to get the audience to turn their chairs around.    Also in reading, we continued our study of theme and started character traits.   In math we worked on identifying patterns and extending the pattern.  Your child should be studying math facts each night.   In social studies we continued our study of Mexico.

Your child should read for at least 20 minutes nightly and sign the reading log.

Reading Tip of the Week

KEEP READING TO YOUR CHILD...Children are never too old to be read to or let your child read to you!!! Enjoy the time you have together.

                Please visit our class website at wsps.org

or

https://sites.google.com/a/wsps.org/mr-canata/home

Important Dates:

Friday, 10/30 Early Dismissal at 11:00 am

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Week of 10/16

Working together to create videos.

   In science and technology we started our study of land forms.  We created a presentation on Google slides and downloaded it onto Animoto to create a video about our research of land forms.  Then we shared the videos on our Wikispaces.   Ask your child to share his/her video with you.  In writing we continued to edit our writing and self evaluate ourselves on the use of transitions,  a lead  and an ending.    In reading we continued reading groups and realistic fiction.    Also in reading, we have Scholastic News Magazine, online and paper copy, which has interesting stories and current events that motivate students to read.  In math we continued our study of multiplication and division.  Your child should be studying mat facts each night.     In social studies we continued  our study of Mexico using Google classroom.  

Your child should read for at least 20 minutes nightly and sign the reading log.

Math Tip of the Week

Grab a deck of cards and play some fun math games!  Visit mathwithmccoubreyobrien.weebly.com for video instruction of how to play "Make Ten" and "Compuatiuon War."  Check the website often for new ways to help your child in math.

                Please visit our class website at wsps.org

or

https://sites.google.com/a/wsps.org/mr-canata/home

Important Dates:

Tuesday, 10/20 Early Release at 1:15 pm

Friday, 10/30 Early Dismissal at 11:00 am

Room 27 News

LEARN LIKE A CHAMPION TODAY

Week of 10/9

  We were introduced to Wikispaces and Animoto.  Wikispaces is a place for us to create, collaborate, and share online.  Animoto is a video making website.   Ask your child to share these online tools with you.  In writing we continued work on the use of transitions,  a lead  and an ending for our writing.  We wrote about our field trip to Skinner State Park.   In reading we continued reading groups and realistic fiction.  We compared two reading selections about helping others.   Also in reading, we have Scholastic News Magazine, online and paper copy, which has interesting stories and current events that motivate students to read.  In math we finished with addition and subtraction and finished with the meaning of multiplication.  We completed a review of September math with a problem solving  with partners and in the end the students put together puzzle pieces and solve the problem:  What year was the Statue of Liberty dedicated to the US from France.  A fun way to end the unit and review what we have learned.    In social studies we continued  our study of Mexico using Google classroom.  In science will will start our study of landforms next week.

Your child should read for at least 20 minutes nightly and sign the reading log.

READING TIP OF THE WEEK:

Encourage your older siblings to read to younger siblings...Older siblings will practice reading out loud and younger siblings will enjoy being read to . BEST of all, they get to enjoy spending time together!!

This week we went on our field trip to Skinner State Park in Hadley.  We hiked, played a game, discussed weathering and erosion from science.  Also Ms. Traub, the Regional Environmental Education Coordinator from Skinner State Park, taught a science lesson about the formation of the area along with types of rocks and erosion.  In writing we worked on the use of transitions and a lead for our writing.    In reading we started reading groups and realistic fiction.   In math we finished with addition and subtraction and started with the meaning of multiplication.   We will have the September Assessment on Friday, October 9.  In social studies we will started our study of Mexico using Google classroom.  We practiced the Mexican hat dance.

Your child should read for at least 20 minutes nightly and sign the reading log.

READING TIP OF THE WEEK:

GIVE PRAISE... the best motivation comes from positive feedback.  Whenever your child finishes a reading or writing assignment, ask about what was read and praise your child's effort.  

Just remember in order to become better at reading you just need to

READ, READ, READ!!!!

Important Dates:

Monday, 10/12, No School, Columbus Day

Tuesday, 10/20 Early Release at 1:15 pm

Friday, 10/30 Early Dismissal at 11:00 am

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LEARN LIKE A CHAMPION TODAY

Week of 9/25

  This week we used Google classroom   It allows us to collaborate, discuss and show our work as well as learn technology skills.   Also I am able to provide feedback to student assignments.  We will continue to use Google classroom this year.   In writing we worked on prewriting activities make a list and use a graphic organizer and how to write a thesis statement (what our story is about).  In reading we continued our routines of independent reading, read a play together to practice fluency and read a realistic story to practice monitoring our thinking while reading.   In math we started using rounding to estimate sums and differences along with adding and subtracting whole numbers.  In science we continued our study of erosion and weathering and how they affect the surface of the  Earth.  Next week in social studies we will start our study of Mexico and Canada.    Please take the time to check out our website and click on Book Recommendations where we have posted some of our recommendations for books.  

Your child should read for at least 20 minutes nightly and sign the reading log.

Skinner State Park Field Trip:  Friday, October 2

Student needs for field trip:  water, backpack, lunch if bringing from home, sneakers, camera (not necessary but can bring one), dress for the weather (sweatshirt, pants, shorts, etc)

READING TIP OF THE WEEK:

Kids are more likely to read about what they find really interesting.  Don’t worry if it’s a newspaper, magazine, cookbook or an illustrated novel. Just remember in order to become better at reading you just need to READ, READ, READ!!!!

                Please visit our class website at wsps.org

or

https://sites.google.com/a/wsps.org/mr-canata/home

Important Dates:

Friday 10/2 Field Trip, Skinner State Park

Monday, 10/12, No School, Columbus Day

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LEARN LIKE A CHAMPION TODAY

Week of 9/18

This year the school would like to implement a school wide working (healthy) snack for grades 1-5.  Students would need to provide their own healthy snack from home.  We will start snack next week.  In math we continued place value with using a number line to round numbers.  Each student has an account for our online math book  (www.pearsonsuccess.net)  Visit the online math book site and have your child show you about the site and his/her progress.  On September 17th it was Constitution Day.  We learned about the Constitution and its importance.  Also we signed a class Constitution.  Your child can share with you what we learned in his/her Google drive.  In science we will started our study of erosion and weathering and how they affect the surface of the  Earth.   Every student has an account for our online science book at www.discoveryeducation.com.  Have your child show you the site.   Don’t forget to ask your child to share his/her work in Google Please take the time to read with your child.  Your child should read for at least 20 minutes nightly.

READING TIP OF THE WEEK:

Ask your child what he/she is reading.  Ask what it is about and what is enjoyable about the book.  Ask your child to describe it to you.

                Please visit our class website at wsps.org

or

https://sites.google.com/a/wsps.org/mr-canata/home

Important Dates:

Monday, 9/21 West Springfield Day at the Big E (after school)

Friday 10/2 Field Trip, Skinner State Park

Monday, 10/12, No School, Columbus Day

Schedule of Specials:

Tuesday- Physical Education (PE)   Wednesday- **Arts Block  Thursday - Computer   Friday (PE)